


Overture

by Kahnah



Series: Dioscuri [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, I consider this fluff, Kinda, M/M, Sequel, Star-crossed multiverse, plays after Fiction so super spoilery, there are fart jokes so you can see how funny this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-27 03:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19782211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahnah/pseuds/Kahnah
Summary: "Maybe we should just marry," Michael offered, and that actually made Ray laugh out loud."Oh God, please! Let's do that!"------Plays after Fiction





	Overture

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR SPOILERS FOR FICTION  
> If you consider reading this and haven't read Fiction - don't.
> 
> Plays after Fiction but before Planisphere bc I'm cool like that.

Overture

_ a proposal _

By the time Michael reached Ray's chamber, he found the King already in one of the plush seats in front of the fire. Ray had his face buried in his hands, shoulders heaving as he tried to calm down. As he passed him Michael squeezed his shoulder wordlessly before heading to the low table in the back of the room. That's where they kept the real forms of comfort, and Michael poured them both a goblet of wine.

Turning back around, he held one in front of Ray's face, not moving until the other actually took it. Ray wasn't a fan of alcohol, but even he needed it after some days. Michael surely did and he dropped in the seat opposite of Ray, putting his feet on the table between them.

"I hate social events," Ray murmured after a while. He was staring so intently at the goblet that Michael feared it would just shatter in his hand.

"Tell me about it."

"Yeah, just standing there must be so hard," Ray huffed, and Michael didn't like the edge in the other's voice. "It's not like the people expect anything from you. They are staring at me all day and watch as I eat or dance or fucking breathe. They expect me to hold a conversation. A conversation, Michael!"

"Dude, and you suck at holding a conversation," Michael told him helpfully and Ray just glared at him.

Michael sat up and leaned forward, lowering his voice as if he was going to let Ray in on a secret. "More importantly, did you fuck her?"

Ray sighed and also leaned forward, close enough that their noses nearly touched.

"Three times. Once on the throne and twice right beneath the table. You want the details?"

"A gentleman never tells," Michael told him wisely before both of them snorted. It cleared the hostility in the air and the both of them could relax.

It had been a long, long day.

A brigade from a distant kingdom that Michael hadn’t even known existed had been visiting for a month, leading to all kinds of social events. Ray was forced to spend so much time with the oldest princess that Michael could barely talk to him because she was always around. Granted, it was expected from both of them in hope to arrange a marriage, but it was still highly bothersome.

Thankfully today's banquet had been held to wish them a good journey back, so after tomorrow they could take a breath. At least until the next kingdom decided to show up. It wasn’t like they hadn’t already played this shit show for the third time this year. The kingdom expected Ray to marry and have an heir and what Ray wanted wasn't really up for debate. It was bothersome and Michael hated it.

He hated how Ray had to force himself to smile and pretend to be interested in any of those girls when he had his hands full taking care of the kingdom already. The amount of stuff he had to learn to take over the throne so suddenly was tremendous and he still wasn't done with it. Jack was still teaching him every week, Geoff always close by in case Ray needed help, but Michael knew they did that because they wanted to, because it was only fair, but Ray hated it. He hated the responsibility and sitting at the throne that was supposed to be Gavin's.

Michael had hoped it would get easier and it had, but once Ray got the grasp of it all, the people demanded a queen and more importantly an heir. They were scared after the mess before and just wanted something stable, and Michael could understand that. But they didn't have to see Ray sit here each night, exhausted and running thin because of all the problems they had; he didn't want to worry about getting married to someone he barely knew.

Michael could see it right now, how Ray stirred his goblet, letting the wine inside sway slowly. He hadn't taken a sip yet, was just mesmerized by it, and Michael knew where this was going. It was still happening a lot, mostly after exhausting days like this when they wouldn't talk. When they would just sit here and get lost in their own thoughts, remembering what had happened and wondering what could-have-been.

It was a dangerous mindset and wine didn't help with it. Tonight Michael didn't want to go down that path, he was sick and tired of feeling guilty and horrible and trying to come to terms with what happened. Even after years he still had enough dreams about it and he was just so done with it.

So he shook his head now and decided to break Ray away from it as well.

"So are you going to marry her? She seems not as bad."

Ray huffed but finally took to his wine.

"I mean she is better than the last girl, I'll give you that."

"Oh don't remind me of her!" Michael grasped his hands in front of his chest and put on a mocking high voice. "Oh King Ray, you great hero! I don't even dare to look you in the eyes or raise my voice above a whisper but please take me right here and now, oh!"

"I swear to God, she was into some weird shit."

"It's always the quiet ones," Michael told him wisely. "But please don't choose her. I couldn't take it if your head grew too big. If anyone would ever come for your life I'd just let them to get rid of you."

"I'd even give you permission for it."

"Cheers to that!"

Ray lifted his goblet to him and then leaned back in his seat. With his silk cloak and his carefully woven clothes he looked more like a king each day, and sometimes Michael felt taken aback by that. It just didn't seem to fit with the boy he had slept in the cold and dark barracks together.

He had seen the same happen with Gavin as they grew up, but it hadn't been such a stark contrast. Gavin had been made for the silver crown on his head, had fit into the thick cloaks and soft scarf. It had been right.

This picture right here was missing a piece, and Michael stopped himself from turning his head to the empty seat around the table. Instead he downed his own goblet and let the alcohol burn down his throat and settle warm in his stomach. It kept his mind off of other things, and at least Ray was amused now, right? At least Ray was smiling.

"Maybe we should just marry," Michael offered, and that actually made Ray laugh out loud.

"Oh God, please! Let's do that!" He chuckled. "Can you imagine the faces of all those princesses?"

"I'd give my whole salary to see it!"

Michael grinned at him and when Ray placed his empty goblet down and excused himself for the night, he already felt better. It was a victory whenever he managed to banish those dark thoughts and even though he couldn't be sure if Ray was really alright and didn't worry himself sick in his bed right now, he still hoped it wasn't the case.

It got easier; Geoff was right. It took time and strength and a lot of setbacks, but it got easier.

The next day he watched over Ray like always. A shadow ready to strike, unnoticed by the royalty around him. He watched as Ray and the princess exchanged whispered words and wondered how she couldn't see how much Ray despised this whole situation. Maybe Michael knew him too well for that mask to work on him.

When they finally said goodbye and Ray helped her up into her carriage it was obvious how relieved he was. Michael stood right behind him and could hear his soft sigh as they watched the carriage and knights leave. He could also hear Geoff lean forward to whisper into Ray’s ear to rest, to take some time for himself. It wouldn’t take long until the next kingdom would show up and the days in between were few and packed full with learning and work.

Because of that Ray barely protested before excusing himself from the court and Michael also couldn’t pretend to not be happy with this. He also felt exhausted, granted not in the same way Ray was. Still, it took its toll to see his best friend so upset and stressed all the time, unable to lend more than pretty words. He wanted to do more.

So he followed Ray to his chambers and ordered the guards to have nobody come and disturb the king if it wasn’t an emergency. When he made sure that nobody would follow them, he searched for Ray and found him in his bedroom. 

Ray was laying down, an arm thrown over his eyes to block out the light. Even though he had only been alone a few minutes in here, he flinched when he heard the door as if he was already half asleep. Michael nearly felt bad for disturbing him, but he pushed on and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Michael assured him and kicked his boots off. He could feel Ray’s eyes on him as he laid down.

“What are you doing here then?”

“Keeping you company.”

“I wanted to sleep, Michael.” Ray sighed and let his arm drop down. Blinking against the light coming in from the window, he did look tired, and again Michael wondered if this here was the right call.

“You didn’t sleep last night because you were worrying about this whole marriage thing,” Michael told him. “I didn’t want it to happen again.”

“I’m fine, just tired. Do I have to order you to leave me alone?”

“You know what I think of your orders, my King?” Michael asked only to fart loudly a second later.

Ray sat up halfway, something furious in his gaze before his frown broke into a boyish grin.

Yeah, farts were always funny, and both of them laid in bed, snickering like kids about the situation.

“Do you ever wonder who Geoff has already fucked in this bed?”

“Michael!” A tad of silence before Ray nodded though and that broke Michael completely. Throwing his head back he laughed even harder and Ray joined in. Like this it truly felt like simpler times, like late night talks in the barracks when the wind outside tore at the walls and distant snores came from the older warriors.

“So many Kings fucked in this bed,” Michael went on and he wasn’t even sure why he was so excited and giddy about that.

“This bed gets cleaned!”

“You say that but some stains just don’t wash out an-”

“Oh God, stop! I have to sleep here!” Ray was wheezing now, eyes bright as he turned his head to him. “Also you’re not one to talk!”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that we’ve known each other for way too long and I have way too much information about that matter!”

Lifting his head Michael gaped at him which only made Ray laugh even harder. It thinned out with time but it lingered between them, making everything just a bit easier. Sometimes laughing took the heaviness away, and when Michael laid back down he felt like he was floating and everything was good. If he closed his eyes he would probably fall asleep as well because Ray wasn’t the only one who had laid awake late into the night. Which brought him back to the reason why he was here and now right next to each other, he just blurted it out, “I was serious yesterday. If you want to we can marry.”

Ray huffed and so Michael just turned around to watch him. He waited until Ray noticed and sobered up.

“Michael…”

“What?”

Sighing, Ray sat up, and for a moment Michael was sure the other was going to run away. He wanted to stop him but Ray just pulled the curtains closed to shut out the sun before settling back beside him. Now in the shadows it was easier to talk about such things and Michael turned onto his side. In the little light he could still see Ray's expression, and he wanted to. He needed to know what the other thought.

"It's not that easy," Ray said quietly.

"Bu-"

Ray lifted his hand to stop him and Michael listened this time.

"I talked with Geoff about this whole matter before and we tried to think of ways to get around it," Ray continued. "Geoff only avoided marriage because he basically adopted an heir. I could do that, but the people wouldn't be happy about that, not with what happened with Gavin. They wouldn't accept the child."

Ray also turned to his side to look at him and their knees nearly touched with how close they were.

"A marriage with any of the princesses that visited would strengthen the kingdom and I would get a legit heir."

"But you don't want to marry any of them!"

"It's the best for the kingdom," Ray just repeated, but Michael scoffed.

"As if you haven't given up enough for this fucking kingdom! It's not fair!"

"What gave you the impression that any of this was fair, Michael?"

And he hated how Ray's voice sounded now, knew that colorless tone all too well.

"Nothing that has happened was supposed to happen. It's all wrong. I shouldn't be here, Gavin should! It's not my place!"

"It is now," Michael hissed, and he didn't want to be angry. It was unfair to be angry at Ray for that, but how could he not? They had been over this way too often and he knew exactly what Ray would say next.

"It is, and if I have to take Gavin's place in all of this, I will do what he would've done. And until the end he had the best of the kingdom in mind."

"Oh bullshit!" Michael interrupted him. "Gavin would've jumped at the chance to marry me!"

Ray didn't laugh at that, just looked more pissed off, but Michael didn't let it go.

"You don't want to marry any of those girls!"

"Thanks for the insight, Michael."

"Ray, marrying them means they will be around here all the time an-"

"I'm aware of that, thank you."

"This fucking room right here is the only fucking place you can relax! This is the only place where you can stop pretending and be yourself because once you step out of here, you have to put this damn mask on and play king! If you marry one of those bitches that will stop! This will fucking stop because then she will be here all the time and no matter what you do and how much you might start to like her, you can never tell her what happened. You can never tell her about Gavin, not really because oh, she will want to know about what happened. About how her husband is this damn big hero!"

This time Ray wanted to get up but Michael snatched his arm and forced him back down, forced him to lay down and face him. He was still so much stronger than Ray and he hated how fragile Ray felt beneath his hand. After what happened with Gavin, Ray had stopped for a while. Had stopped training and eating and  _being_ and even though that was in the past, the evidence of the time was still there.

"I don't want to see you miserable," Michael pleaded with him, and Ray just laid there, eyes focusing on everything that wasn't Michael. He let go of Ray's arm only to take a hold on his fist instead, forcing the fingers to stop digging into his palm.

"Gavin wouldn't want to see you miserable either."

"How can you be sure?" Ray whispered. "I drove a blade straight through his chest. He has every right to want a little bit of pay back."

And Michael saw red. He felt Ray wince when he held so tight to his hand that he nearly crushed bone, but he couldn't bring himself to stop.

"Because it's Gavin!" he snapped at Ray. "Because it's fucking Gavin and he doesn't blame you for this shit! You know that as much as I do!"

Ray still couldn't meet his eyes and Michael's heart ached.

"Are you saying that Gavin despised us for what happened? That wherever he is, he hates us?"

"He always adored you," Ray just said, and Michael wanted to break his arm, wanted to shake him until he made sense again.

"So it's you he hates, right? It's because you are the big hero now," Michael spat and sat up so he could tower over the other. He had to force himself to let go because of course he didn't want to hurt Ray. He never did.

"Our roles right now, the roles as hero and bystander, was just determined by who held the sword at the end. If I knew this would happen I would've done it!"

"You would hate being king."

"I also hate seeing you like this!"

Ray pressed his lips together and tried once more to get up and once more Michael forced him down. Pushing his hands onto both sides of Ray's head, he kept him right there because he wasn't fucking done.

"I hate this, Ray! I really do." And now his own voice sounded tight, his heart pounding so hard in his chest that he was sure Ray could tell. "Let me help! Please! I want to carry my own fucking weight because everything that happened isn't just on you. I was right there beside you! It was your sword but it might as well have been mine! The blade never mattered because we both were on that roof and we both held him. His blood is on my hands as much as it's on yours."

Sometimes he could still feel it, the stickiness between his fingers and how he had scrubbed at it until his skin hurt. The sheer shock about what had happened making everything around look wrong and far away. How he kept on looking over his shoulder, making sure that Ray was still there, because he was sure Ray would disappear as well if he'd let him out of his sight and how he had held so tightly to Gavin as memory after memory crashed over him like waves, like a flood that he couldn't stop, and how he couldn't let go. Not until Jack told him so, not until Jack forced his hands to let go, and even then Michael wanted to fight and scream and do something. Because that was expected from him.

No, the blade had never mattered. Not to him, not to those who truly cared. Just to the people who celebrated outside the castle, and how Michael had heard them at night for days, the music and the laughter. How he had hated them. How long he hadn't been able to sleep, to just lay there and tried to breathe.

Now Ray tugged at him and for a second it was Michael who wanted to run away, to get away from those eyes who seemed to look right through him. That was ridiculous, of course and he sank down, burrowing his face into Ray's chest until he was hidden from the world.

It was safe here in the dark with no one but them and no masks to wear. It was like slipping into a restful sleep after too many nightmares and by Gods, they had enough nightmares for a lifetime.

Ray's hand brushed down his back, fingers jumping down his spine before hurrying back up, his other hand buried deep in Michael's hair. He was holding so tight that it nearly hurt, but it was a grounding pain. It showed him where his thoughts began and his head ended before he could get lost somewhere else.

"I'm sorry," Ray whispered after a while. It sounded loud in the silence after Michael had just heard his own ragged breath in the darkness for a while. "You're right, Gavin wouldn't have wanted this. Gavin doesn't want us to be miserable. Sometimes... sometimes it's hard to remember before when everyone always just reminds you of... of the end."

He squeezed him then, tight enough that Michael had trouble breathing. Still, he kept his eyes closed, pressed against Ray's chest, because it hurt. Everything hurt when he let it and right now he felt a bit too weak to fight against it.

"Let me help, Ray," he whispered. "Please. It's not fair that you are the only one who is fighting here, the only one who stands in front of those people and plays their game. I want to pull my own weight too."

For a long moment Ray didn't answer but his hands kept on moving, his heart kept on pounding away. Michael could hear it and he treasured every beat.

"Michael, do you realize what you're offering me here?"

"I am!"

"No, I'm being serious. This isn't just an arrangement to stop those visits and negotiations with the other kingdoms, this is forever. If we really decide to marry we will be bound to each other until death. You will rule this kingdom together with me, Michael. You will sit with me and put on a damn smile for everyone who needs to see it. You'll wear my crown and my colors along with me."

That... was actually something he hadn't considered. Sure he knew about it in theory, but he hadn't really thought about it. About those long days in the throne room where all he had to do was stand guard, while Ray had to listen to complaints or have meetings with the court. Of course he would gladly take some of that weight from Ray if he could, but he wasn't sure if he was capable. He wasn't necessarily a person for politics, quite the opposite; he hated it.

All that talking without actually doing something.

Ray noticed his hesitation and leaned down to press a kiss against the top of Michael's head. He was smiling. "That's not all. What if you fall in love with someone? What if you want to start your own family? I'd hate it if I'd stand in the way of your happiness, because you deserve it, Michael. You deserve all the happiness in the world."

Michael pushed himself up and Ray let him go. Now braced over the king he could barely look him in the eyes, because it had sounded so easy before, but it wasn't. He had been naive to think it was.

"Ray, I-"

"Thank you so much for the offer, Michael," Ray interrupted him softly. "It means a lot, it really does and I gotta be honest, of all the proposals this was certainly my favorite." Ray laughed and squeezed Michael's arm.

"Thank you for considering your... assistance in that matter, but you clearly haven't thought about it. That's fine though, that doesn't mean you don't support me or anything. Michael, you are right next to me every day and are here to talk in case I need support. That's more than enough."

Ray's dark eyes were shining in the little light and Michael could only press his lips together. He knew what Ray wanted to say, but it wasn't enough. Ray was still suffering for something the both of them had done and Michael couldn't take seeing him like this.

And still... still he found no words, couldn't grasp his own thoughts to make a decision. Ray helped him along with that as well, giving him a quick slap to the side.

"Let me rest now. I'm very tired."

  
  


"Jeremy," Michael called when he left Ray's chambers, and sure enough the other appeared just a moment later. He was one of the guards who were stationed at the staircase leading up to Ray's chamber.

"The king is sleeping so make sure nobody bothers him," he instructed the other absentmindedly. He had done so before but he wanted to make sure. "I'll be stepping out for a while but I'll probably be back before Ray wakes up."

"Alright."

Michael was halfway down the stairs when Jeremy's hand brushed against his arm. It wasn't much but it made him stop in his tracks. He hadn't thought anything could, because right now everything in him wanted to run away from here, to move in some way.

Now he was forced to face the other and he didn't know how. It was always like that with Jeremy after Gavin's death, because Jeremy hadn't celebrated or congratulated them. No, Jeremy had lashed out at him, had called him horrible, horrible things and by the Gods, Michael had relished in it. A part of him knew that he deserved it, that he deserved so much more for not protecting Gavin in some way. Fuck, if Jeremy would've attacked him then, he wouldn't even have lifted his hands.

After things had become clearer and Geoff had sat Jeremy down to talk things through, it had only grown more awkward. Jeremy felt horribly guilty for what had happened and no words from Michael seemed to fix that.

"Are you alright?" Jeremy asked now, and a bit confused, Michael hesitated.

"I- yeah. Why do you ask?"

"Just..." Jeremy gesticulated a bit awkwardly towards him. "You don't look alright."

Oh no, how did he look like? After leaving Ray to rest Michael had taken a moment to calm down and wash his face and he had hoped nobody would be able to tell. By the way Jeremy was looking at him it didn't appear to work out.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long week," he assured Jeremy.

"Okay." Jeremy wasn't buying it but he also didn't dare to say anything more and so Michael just hurried along.

"Watch over Ray."

"I will."

Yeah, he didn't doubt that. Not after he had seen how protective Jeremy had been over Gavin and Gavin had turned to him, had looked for a way out through Jeremy and Ryan because he hadn't been able to turn to Michael. The thoughts of that time were all dizzy and faint and impossible far away. Like a memory of his earliest childhood.

It weren’t good memories either, and so Michael tried not to dwell on them for too long. Now they came back as he walked through the castle, and that was really the last thing he needed. He needed some calm, somewhere where he could be alone. The key for that place he always carried with him, but when he went to unlock the gate it was already open.

There was a small stone bench in the courtyard where Gavin had been buried and Jack sat there. He was talking quietly even when he noticed Michael standing there a bit awkwardly and so Michael waited until he was done.

"Sorry," he finally said. "I didn't know you'd be here. I can go."

"Don't be stupid, Michael." Jack waved him closer and Michael made sure to close the gate before he sat down next to Jack. It felt a bit weird being at this place with someone else, because he usually came here alone; he figured they all did, but now he couldn't get the picture of Jack talking to the simple stone plate out of his head.

"I really didn't want to interrupt you, Jack."

“Michael, I don’t mind.”

They fell into silence and like always when he was around Jack he tried not to stare. It had shaken all of them hard when Gavin had died, there was no denying that. Some of them, himself included, had grown angry. Some of them, like Ray, had grown silent, nearly catatonic.

Jack though, Jack had died as well.

Michael was ashamed to admit it but he had noticed it very late. It had taken him weeks to realize that Jack was simply gone, wasn’t in the long painful meetings with the court and not even at Geoff’s side. Sure, Michael had his own things to worry about. The grief and deep brewing anger, his falling out with Jeremy in front of too many people, and the near obsessive fear that Ray would just be gone if he left him out of his eyes just for a minute.

Still he should’ve realized it sooner because whenever Ray had to face the court and his new responsibility Michael was right there beside him, having his back. Geoff as well, but Geoff stood there, tall and regal but alone.

That’s when Michael realized that a part of Jack had died alongside with Gavin, that Jack couldn’t just come back from that. It was impossible for him, for someone who loved so unconditionally and had lost so much.

When Jack reappeared by Geoff’s side it was different. He resembled Geoff after Gavin had healed him, hollowed out by sickness but fighting his way back to life, but the calm was gone. This endless calm and patience in everything that Jack did was gone, washed away by grief, and all he did now was with a certain urgency. The way he taught Ray, the way he oversaw the kingdom’s business. He wasn’t necessarily rushing them or anything, it was just there. Like Jack had to make sure everything was settled before… before what?

That was a question Michael didn’t dare to ask but deep inside he knew. Deep inside he could see the haunted look in Jack’s eyes that just wouldn’t pass. As if Jack saw and knew more than all of them.

To see him sitting here so patiently and turning Gavin’s silver bracelet around and around in his hand felt weird. Like something Michael shouldn’t witness because it was too private.

“Were you talking to Gavin?” he found himself asking.

"Yeah, I'm trying to keep him up to date on things."

"Do you... think he can hear us here?"

"That I don't know. I always believed that there had to be some form of connection between this realm and the next one, after all Gavin showed us that there was a way from one to the other." Jack hesitated, his eyes resting on the simple stone plate before he shook his head slowly. "But no, I don't think that Gavin can hear me from wherever he is. There is only one thing that's connecting him to this world, and that's Mahr."

Michael felt himself tense after he heard the name of the demon. It was always like this because in the back of his mind he remembered the demon looming above them. When they were on the roof he had been eye to eye with them and knew that if he would have shown fear they would've devoured them. Their moonlit eyes had been bright even against the sky back then and sometimes he still dreamed of them.

"Mahr doesn't have a host anymore," he said, and next to him Jack nodded.

"They are just a spirit, a voice in the dark looming in the shadows."

Michael didn't like the sound of that, but he also didn't know what to say to make Jack stop because Jack hadn't moved. Jack still sat by his side, eyes on Gavin's grave as if he could see more there than he should. It was eerie and he didn’t like it and Michael cleared his throat to hopefully snap Jack out of it.

"I kinda proposed to Ray today."

That did the trick and slowly Jack turned towards him. To his surprise the other didn't look shocked by that, he just gave a thoughtful hum.

"It's just... this whole marriage thing is putting so much stress on him," Michael started to explain himself. "He really doesn't need this right now and I want to... I want to help him! This whole situation is so unfair!"

"I understand why you did it," Jack interrupted him softly. "I played with the idea myself when Geoff was in the same situation."

Now Michael knew why Jack hadn't been surprised, because hearing that he wasn't either. Quite the opposite, he felt something settle in him.

"Why didn't you?"

"The court wouldn't have accepted it. I am of noble blood but there were more fitting candidates like the Queen of Rhyst. Also, we wouldn't have been able to produce an heir."

Right, that was something Michael hadn't even considered. Ray needed an heir. His shoulders sank.

"I'm probably far from fitting either..."

"You'd certainly have to appease the court in some way. Back then Queen Belatrice of Rhyst was hopelessly in love with a woman from her court, so she was in the same boat as Geoff and didn't want to marry. They agreed on a trading deal that would benefit both kingdoms greatly and so both of their courts were off their backs for a while."

"I see."

"But you can't forget that it's not only the court that has a say in that," Jack told him. "Ray is immensely popular with the people, you are as well. I do believe that if done right, you two could make it work."

"Really?"

"If you two choose so." Jack got up but not without putting a heavy hand on Michael's shoulder. "What you two lose and gain from that decision is up to you, but I think it's something worth considering."

He left him with these words as if Michael would be able to make any sense of that but he didn't call after Jack to clarify what that meant. To some degree he knew.

Now he sat here alone and listened to distant birds singing. There were rarely any in this courtyard, not with how high the walls were, and Michael hated that. It felt like a prison that only let sun in at certain times of the day. This place shouldn't be hidden away like some dark secret but he was too exhausted about getting worked about that.

Next to his boots bloomed forget-me-nots from Ray, and that was good.

"Should I ask for your blessing?" he spoke into the emptiness around before he huffed to himself. Jack was right, wherever Gavin was, it wasn't here. This was just a quiet space hidden away in plain sight.

"Who am I even kidding? You would be all for it anyway."

Michael let the topic rest for a few days, not only for Ray's sake but also for his. It was always on his mind though, something he would turn around and around in his head. Granted, he should've done that in the beginning before even proposing the idea but well, what can you do? That just wasn't how he functioned.

He was at it again as the day drew to an end. They were in the throne room and he was standing behind Ray, watching the sun sink below the castle walls. Behind him, he could hear Ray and Ryan talk quietly while Ray finished the last letter, and it had something very familiar to it. That was also a bit strange, Michael had never expected to feel comfortable inside the castle. As a child, he had always expected to be out there at the wall or in wars against opposing kingdoms.

Funny how things went sometimes.

There was a lull in the conversation and for a while all he could hear was Ray's feather, scratching over the paper. That was probably as good of a moment as any other.

"You were married before, right Ryan?" he asked. From here he couldn't see Ray's face but he noticed how the feather stopped in the middle of the page.

"That's sudden," Ryan replied, and Michael stepped closer. A few years ago he would've been worried about overstepping his boundaries, but Ryan was a cool guy. Or a creepy guy, really. Gavin was probably lucky to not know that when the two of them met each other in the middle of a dark forest. Seriously, what a freak.

"But yeah, I was. Why do you ask?"

"Wouldn't you say that honesty is one of the important factors in a healthy marriage?"

Frowning Ryan threw a glance to Ray, probably trying to figure out what was going on here.

"Yeah... I would say that."

"So keeping a big secret during your marriage isn't a healthy thing. It would get in the way, right?"

"Well obviously. I'm not sure what you are try-"

"Ryan," Ray said now but was turning to Michael, "wouldn't you also say that things aren't so fucking easy? That your life and marriage as a civilian isn't really something to be compared with the decision of a King?"

"Um..."

"Ray, Ray, Ray," Michael tsked, waggling his finger. "I wasn't talking about you, your Highness. Shockingly not everything is about you. I was thinking about me. You know, I'm a civilian as well. Granted, not any longer if you decide to accept my proposal."

Ryan made a little choked noise but neither of them paid attention to him. No, Ray was watching him pretty unimpressed as he put his feather down to not spill any more ink on his letter.

"I was thinking about your concerns, King Narvaez," Michael continued and tried to not sound as smug as he felt. He kinda failed on that one. "About me meeting someone I might fall in love with and granted, that is, of course, a possibility. You are so wise, your Royal Highness!"

"I'm going to ram this feather so far up your ass that you'll spew ink. It would be more useful than any word you've said so far."

"But seeing as I'd have to keep a massive secret from my future spouse it wouldn't be fair to them. You heard what Ryan just said. So another marriage wouldn't even be possible for me!"

"What is happening here?" Ryan asked helplessly, but neither of them spared him so much as a glance.

"As for an heir of our loins-"

"Oh my God, Michael."

"Sure we could find a solutio-"

"I'm going to strangle the life out of you if you say one more wor-"

"Like a surrogate! Just knock her up and voila!"

All Ray had to say to that was a deep sigh. Reaching up, he rubbed over his forehead as if he was expecting a headache, which might be the case. Still Michael couldn't stop grinning at him, because he wouldn't let him go so easily this time. Not when he had set his mind to get an answer today.

"You know what?" Ryan said behind them, mostly to himself which was honestly fair enough. "You two can discuss this while I wait outside. I think that's easier for all of us."

Michael could barely contain his laughter when he turned around to watch Ryan leave way faster than usual. Only when the huge doors fell shut he realized something and quickly crouched down next to Ray's throne.

"Shit, I forgot! Was that awkward for you because you got a boner for Ryan?"

"I do not!" Ray spluttered.

"I mean we can find a solution for that as well, because I love you man, but not really in the I-want-to-get-in-your-pants kinda way, you get me? So if you wan-"

"Don't."

"I'm just saying that it would be fine!" He crossed his arms on the throne and put his head on top to look up to Ray. "I might want the details though."

"I think I could kill him," Ray muttered to himself and then, like an afterthought, "I could kill myself and just be done with it..."

"I just want to say that your crush on Ryan is validated!" Michael told him. "It's fine with me, really!"

"I don't- Michael, I don't have a crush on Ryan," Ray told him as if his cheeks weren't aflame. "I'm just... enjoying the view, alright?"

"Enjoying the view," Michael echoed and looked towards the doors before shrugging. "Alright, I can get behind that. Just saying that if you marry me you can also enjoy this view!"

He immediately jumped up to flex his arms, and honestly, he was well trained, alright? There was nothing about his body he should be ashamed of!

Ray stared at him, mouth half open as Michael struck some different poses. Then he broke into childish, disbelieving giggles. He laughed so hard that it shook his whole body and Michael couldn't help but feel proud of himself.

He waited until Ray got a breath in and wiped at unshed tears before he leaned above him.

"Marry me."

"Micha-"

"Oh I get it, this is not romantic enough." He kneeled down, taking Ray's hands in his. "King Ray Narva-"

"Stop!" Still laughing Ray freed himself but only to grasp his arms and pull him up. "Stand up, come on. Don't be ridiculous!"

He got up by Ray's insistent pulls. "I'm just saying, none of those chicks can make you laugh like this."

"That was never even a question, but I have enough people kneel in front of me. You never have to be one of them." He squeezed Michael's arms and his smile grew softer as he sobered up.

"Are you serious about this?"

"I am," he told him earnestly. "I thought about it and even talked with Jack. I want to do this if you're up for it."

"I can't expect you to give up so muc-"

"What I lose only depends on me," Michael said before he shrugged. "Also I hang around you all the time anyway, might as well get a crown out of it."

Ray's shoulder sacked at the sheer relief hitting him but he still wouldn't let himself have this, Michael could tell.

"The kingdo-"

"Jack said we might not have the court at our side but the people," Michael stopped him before he could find any more excuses.

"It's all up to you, Ray. I can't tell you what to do or who to marry. I'm just offering an option and you know what? I think for your own happiness it would be the best one. I'm just really not in the mood to see some stranger around us all the time. She'd bring her own guards and I would have to sit around with them and that would be awkward. Also we could never joke around as before, and how boring would that be?"

"Very boring," Ray agreed. It was still hesitant but there was a small smile on his face. He took a while longer and Michael let him think about it, but deep inside he knew he had already won. Ray wanted this, but they both knew it wasn't the best choice for the kingdom. Still, Michael didn't give a fuck about the kingdom in this regard.

This kingdom had already swallowed up too many tears and lives.

"I want us to talk with Geoff about this," Ray finally said. "I want his opinion."

"Of course."

Michael waited for some other arguments, but when they didn't come he began to smile. Ray looked up to him and returned it. Getting up from his throne he wrapped his arms around Michael and held on tight. It was such a familiar movement that they settled easily against each other and Ray hooked his chin over Michael's shoulder with a soft sigh.

"Thank you, Michael. I really mean it."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. If you get any seconds thoughts on thi-"

"I won't," he told him and buried a hand in too dark hair. "Ray, I dedicated my life to the King since I was a child. If it's you or Gavin or Geoff."

"My, what a slut you are."

"You're right. I just want that ass of yours." They both laughed but neither let go, clinging on to each other, and Michael knew there was more behind it. That either of them just didn't want to see the other miserable, that after all that happened they at least had each other and they would fight to keep it like that. That confession hung between them unsaid, but only because they both knew it. It wasn't needed out loud.

"I still can oogle Ryan, right?" Ray asked suddenly, and Michael just burst out laughing.

"You know what? We can do it together from now on!"

* * *

“So first questions first,” Geoff began and put his cup of tea down. It was the next day and they had breakfast in Ray’s chambers to talk without any noisy servants around. “Do either of you have feelings for the other, even if it’s just that you want to bang each other?”

Ray choked on his tea, face bright red while Michael quickly shook his head.

“I’m just saying. You gotta be honest or that will break you. Even if you have some weird fantasy with each other, I don’t fucking want to know it, but you should tell the other.”

“Ray just wants to bang Ryan,” Michael said, and Ray spilled his tea over himself in shock.

“I’m going to murder you!”

“But you’re the love of my life, dear!”

“Already too much information,” Geoff mumbled to himself before sighing.

“Anyway, that’s something you two should discuss beforehand. On your own, without me here, in case I wasn’t clear before. Besides that there are other factors you have to consider.”

He turned to Ray, “If you’re not careful you might start a conflict with the kingdoms who have already visited. If you chose a commoner over their daughters it can be seen as a big insult towards them, so you have to sell it. That’s the most important thing; you need a story and you need to live it. You won’t be able to persuade the court, but Jack is right, it might work with the people.”

This time he faced Michael and something about his serious tone made him sober up as well. This was happening, his stupid idea was turning into an actual thing, and somehow that scared him.

“Maybe you saw all those princesses and grew jealous,” Geoff explained. “You loved Ray for so long and were sure to be fine with things being as they are, but Ray married? You couldn’t take it, so you confessed your undying love to Ray. And Ray, you have never even considered this and now you’re so confused and torn, yadda yadda blahblablah. People eat that shit up.”

“That sounds like the worst play I’ve ever heard of,” Ray said.

“But it would be a freakishly popular play nonetheless,” Geoff said before pointing to Michael. “Court him. Be as romantic as you little shitheads can be. Flowers and ballads and sweets or whatever. Think of something, after all you have to woo a King, got it? Start slowly, wait until the rumors pick up on it. That usually doesn’t take long anyway. We should ask Jeremy and Ryan to keep an ear out, they’d be one of the first to hear about it.”

“I don’t think I’m very romantic…”

“Then you better start learning if you consider pulling through with this because you have to make everyone believe that it is indeed true love.”

Oh shit. He threw a look towards Ray who just shrugged at him. Well fine, maybe Michael should’ve expected something like this.

“Ray, we will have to sit down and figure out how to break the news to your courtiers. We don’t want a fucking war because of some hurt egos and I don’t expect that to happen, but we have to be careful.”

Now Ray paled. “They would at least blow off the trading deals we settled on.”

“That could be the consequences, yes,” Geoff said. “But those deals benefit us all, so we might keep them if we do it right.”

"That's a big fucking risk."

"I'm just telling you how I see it. King Ingrar is also someone we should look out for. By now Princess Claudia is not spoken for and I'm pretty sure King Ingrar always had an eye out for Gavin. Werringthal is one of our closest allies and we shouldn't ruin that."

"What about Rhyst?"

"Belatrice? Oh, she is someone we don't have to worry about." Geoff shrugged. "She will welcome your decision, after all she also married someone from her court and knows what kind of ruckus that can cause. She will be on your side."

Geoff fell silent and Michael felt how the words spun in his head. That was a lot to consider and suddenly the weight of his decision seemed to double. Maybe he had been a bit naive about this.

"What you do in the end is up to you," Geoff said as he got up, a heavy hand on Ray's shoulder. "Whatever you chose I will support you. My word still holds a lot of weight in court."

"Thank you Geoff," Ray mumbled, but he was quiet now, not meeting their eyes.

Michael sat next to him and waited until Geoff left the room, expecting Ray to say something, but he didn't. No, the King just stared listlessly ahead and Michael's own heart sank.

They couldn't do it, not if it might cause a war. A fucking war! Geoff had said that it wasn't likely but what if one of those assholes actually went for it? There was nothing worse than a mighty man whose pride had been hurt.

Fuck, Michael knew that they would lose some opportunities if Ray married him, but he hadn't thought it could be so severe. Now all he had done was give Ray hope and he felt like shit because of it.

"I don't want to marry," Ray whispered next to him. His hands were in his lap, twisting the fabric of his tunic. "Every time... every time I think about marrying one of those princesses it's like I can't breathe anymore. It's like you said, these chambers are one of the last places where I can just be and to lose that... to lose that, I don't think I could take it."

Taking a deep breath Ray looked up to him and he seemed so upset in that moment. "I'm serious, Michael. I think that would honestly break me. I can't pretend anymore, I can't lose this here." He gestured to the table in front of them, Geoff's empty place, and finally to Michael himself.

"Let’s run away then," Michael blurted out. It wasn't the first time he had offered that, just like it wasn't the first time he had seen Ray like this. No, they had the very same conversation after the first time Ray had seen his crown.

"This is my kingdom. I didn't want it, but now I'm just too involved. We can't do that to Geoff." Ray shook his head slightly. "I also can not marry or risk a fucking war just because I can't pull myself together. I... I can't do anything. It's wrong either way, just in different ways."

Michael took the other's hand in his before Ray could tear through the fabric but he didn't know what to say. There was no way out, either Ray betrayed the kingdom or himself.

They stayed in Ray’s chamber that day, trying to figure things out, not that Michael was sure if that was really what they did. They just sat in silence with only occasional conversations that ended just as quickly.

He was nestled in his seat next to the fire and watched the clouds drift by in front of the window. The first autumn storms were coming and he could tell that the wind was picking up, the clouds getting darker above, but it wasn’t raining yet.

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to encourage Ray to either decision because he feared the consequences. Yes, he was weak like that and a part of him wished he had never brought the whole thing up.

Ray hadn’t said anything either, he was sitting at his desk but not even pretending to work. He was deep in thought and occasionally Michael would feel his eyes on him.

Fuck.

Outside the storm picked up, and they should really light some candles due to how dark it got, but neither of them moved. Leaves and little twigs that had gathered on some roof over the summer went past the window and some hit the glass. It was a distant knocking coming from outside and Michael saw Ray’s head snapped up in the corner of his eye.

Ray threw him an apologetic glance before getting up but Michael couldn’t care less.

“We all search for Gavin in our own ways,” he just said. That’s what Geoff had told him before, and it was true. Jack talked to Gavin’s grave, Ryan kept an untouched chess board in his room, Jeremy had gotten his hand on Gavin’s old bow and Geoff had his hidden room at the top of the highest tower of the castle.

Ray opened windows when he thought he heard a knock on them.

“How are you searching for him?” Ray asked as he pulled the window open. The wind even moved the heavy curtains and Michael felt it tug on his clothes. It was cold.

“I wish I knew.”

Ray hummed but didn’t turn towards him. He was waiting for something, holding the window open the whole time.

“Gavin let me in when I knocked on his window,” Ray explained. “If his spirit is still out there and I wouldn’t let him in… I don’t know, this is just stupid.”

Sighing, Ray leaned against the window frame, but Michael knew that it wasn’t stupid to him, that it was nearly compulsive. Sometimes he could hear Ray at night, opening the windows in his chamber as quietly as possible. Other times it had been during court sessions and even the confused looks from nobles or guests hadn’t stopped Ray.

Now he stood there, the heavy red cloak billowing in the wind as it grew colder here, but Ray didn’t seem to notice. He was watching the castle below and Michael was watching him, his heavy head resting against the cushions.

“I could put together a list for you,” Ray said after a while. “Flowers you could gift me and their meanings. Friendship, unrequited love, devotion. We could work our way up to roses.”

Michael sat up, a bit confused by the change of topic, but Ray was finally stepping away from the window only to stop right in front of his seat.

“I’d put a rose on you, right above your heart, and make you wear my colors. Would you let me do that? Me marking you as a part of my reign?”

Michael couldn’t help but shiver. Ray was looking at him with the intense gaze he’d sometimes get, but he didn’t back down. This was a test.

“Go ahead.”

Ray exhaled through his nose before he reached down and tugged on Michael’s collar until he got up.

“That would be horribly selfish of me.”

“So what?”

That was a stupid response and he knew that but it was meant as a challenge. So what, fuck them all then. Fuck the whole kingdom, because he wasn’t going to keep watching his best friend destroy himself over this. He wouldn’t fucking sit back and just let it happen. Not again.

Ray’s hands were cold from the wind as they laid on his face, and while Michael was still trying to work through that Ray kissed him. It was nothing much, barely more than a gentle press of lips just to try it out and fuck, he didn’t know what to do with his hands. He hadn’t even closed his eyes but by then Ray was already pulling back, the intense look from before gone. He was blushing brightly though, and Michael was pretty sure he wasn’t much better when Ray snorted.

“By the Gods that was weird!”

Now Michael couldn’t help himself and also burst out into laughter because okay, yeah it was. ”You’re a shitty kisser.”

“What? You didn’t even do anything!” Ray protested and slapped him on the chest.

“Excuse me but that came a bit out of nowhere, alright?”

“I just figured that this would be a part of our agreement we would have to work on if we wanna pull that off! And we clearly have to work on your performance!”

“Oh fuck you!” Michael protested, but then he couldn’t help but grin. The rush of blood towards his head hadn’t helped and now he felt giddy. “So are we doing this? Really?”

Uncertainty flickered across Ray’s face and he bit down on his lip. The dark intensity from before was gone but before the other could turn away Michael grasped his arm tightly to keep him here.

“It would be selfish of me,” Ray repeated.

“Then be selfish! This is what you want!”

“It would be the lesser of two evils,” Ray mumbled, and that made Michael grin.

This time it was him who closed the gap and Ray made a surprised little noise about that. His hands flew up but didn’t push him away and so Michael let his eyes slip shut. Ray’s lips were surprisingly soft, and okay, he had never thought he would know that but here he was. Ray also made these stupid noises in the back of his throat because he was trying hard not to laugh and Michael squeezed his arms to remind him that this was super serious King business right now.

It worked as Ray’s hands finally settled against Michael’s chest, first tentatively, then grasping his tunic to pull him closer. And now Ray was leaning in, was pressing up against him and oh, Michael actually hadn’t expected the other to take the lead but that was fine with him. He let Ray kiss him, let his own lips slide against his until his face felt so hot that he feared it would catch fire.

Breaking their kiss, he had to clear his throat, and Ray looked horribly smug because of that.

“Okay, that was better I guess,” Michael said, and that broke Ray into fits of giggles. That was better, he loved the sound of Ray’s laugh and Michael couldn’t help but smile. If he could save this laugh and this last safe haven then it was all worth it. If he could protect Ray like this, no matter how unconventional it was, he would do it.

He caught Ray catching a glimpse of the still open window and felt how the other relaxed. That was also good.

“Gavin would have a field day if he saw us right now,” he found himself saying and Ray chuckled.

“He would.”

Ray turned back towards him and the sheer relief on his face nearly made Michael dizzy. It had been a long, long time since he had seen Ray so content in his own skin, and if he had some kind of doubt about his own idea it was scattered just like that.

“Michael Jones, warrior of mine, will you marry me?”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Look at me, crashing in with a 'sequel' a year later. This was just really fun to write because I was in a mood.
> 
> (Feel free to imagine me hissing at my screen whenever I write anything remotely romantic bc nothing is harder than writing a kiss, wtf. Who invented that shit.)


End file.
